By COLlive.com reporter
R’ Shalom Mordechai Rubashkin, former CEO of Agriprocessors Inc. who was arrested earlier today, was surprisingly released a few hours ago.
“Her a maase, Boruch Matir Asurim,” was Rubashkin’s first comment in Yiddish to COLlive.com.
Driving back from the jail to his home in Postville, IA, his wife was heard saying: “We got him back! we got him back!”
Federal prosecutors arrested Rubashkin, son of Agriprocessors founder Aaron Rubashkin, who had run the company’s operations in the midwest. He was charged with knowingly hiring undocumented immigrants at the Postville slaughterhouse.
The arrest came a day after the $10 million in fines, which the Iowa labor commissioner issued in response to the alleged failure of the company to pay proper wages to its employees.
“Shalom is in shock,” an employee and friend told COLlive.com. “He can’t believe he’s out. The fine was much less than expected.”
Rubashkin was in federal court in Cedar Rapids today. He was released after agreeing to post a $500,000 bond by Nov. 5 and wear a tracking bracelet.
Upon hearing about the arrest, the Postville Jewish Community, most employed directly or indirectly by the Rubashkins, came to the Yeshiva and said Tehillim with the bochurim until a woman ran in and shouted in Hebrew “Shalom Mordche is free!”
One of the students in Yeshiva, Shalom Ber Kessler, is celebrating his birthday tonight and Rubashkin is expected to attend the Farbrengen.
After being slapped with prison time… we need to continue to show support and that he won’t be forgotten in our community. I’m just hoping that where ever he serves his time they’ll take visitors.
Please don’t be so quick to celebrate!!! this is standard procedure!!! he was processed and had to go to court and be officially arraigned. once this is done they have no interest in holding him in a jail cell since he will not try to escape. he had to post a $500k bail which is a pretty high amount and is waring an electronic tracking device so please go back to saying Tehilim cuz it ain’t over yet It is a very bad situation for him and the company, and as such the situation is bad for all kosher meat… Read more »
can you bring pics of the farbrengen/seudas hodaya?
I heard it was really heimishe
Nothing is over yet, he has allot to go through, so please continue to say Tehillim!!!
The the family only have happiness from now on